A common type of refuse collection vehicle for residential or light commercial applications includes a hopper that extends forwardly from the base of a refuse-holding compartment. Refuse is dumped from portable containers into the hopper. When the hopper is filled, a mechanical ram is actuated to push the refuse out of the hopper and into the holding compartment.
In the past, refuse containers were manually lifted over the hopper to dump the container contents. More recently, container dumping mechanisms have been developed for automatically dumping the refuse containers. Development of these dumping mechanisms has been generally concurrent with the development of standardized refuse containers that include structural components that can be engaged by the automatic dumping mechanisms. In this regard, such standardized refuse containers usually carry a pair of apart-spaced horizontal cross bars. The cross bars may be discrete components that are attached to the container, or they may be integrally formed with the remainder of the container. The cross bars may or may not be recessed into the container wall.
Conventional container dumping mechanisms have been designed to include movable latches for engaging the container cross bars. The latches are moved by linkages that are also employed to lift the latched container over the hopper and to tilt the container to dump its contents.
The linkage assemblies of the dumping mechanisms that are designed to engage the container cross bars are very complex, which complexity renders these mechanisms costly to manufacture. Further, prior dumping mechanisms are bulky and, consequently, they protrude outwardly from the hopper to oftentimes interfere with the safe operation of the refuse collection vehicle.